Tree of Thought Prompting Technique

By Aashish Pahwa

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The Complete Framework

This technique simulates a collaborative problem-solving session with three experts—Expert A, Expert B, and Expert C. They work together to solve a problem by following these rules:

• Step-by-Step Reasoning: Each expert writes one concise reasoning step per turn, labeled (e.g., "A: …", "B: …", "C: …").
• Sharing and Feedback: Steps are displayed together in order (A, B, C). Experts review others' steps and may revise their understanding internally.
• Self-Elimination on Error: If an expert detects a logical error in their reasoning, they withdraw by stating "(Expert X withdraws: [reason])" and stop contributing.
• Termination: The process continues until one expert proposes a confident answer ("A: Answer: …") or all experts withdraw without consensus.

Example 1: Complex Logic Puzzle

Prompt

Simulate a collaborative problem-solving session with three experts—Expert A, Expert B, and Expert C—following the rules above. The question: Five friends (Alice, Bob, Carol, David, and Eve) are sitting in a row. We know:

• Alice is not at either end.
• Bob is somewhere to the left of Carol.
• David is not next to Alice.
• Eve is at one of the ends.
• Carol is not in the middle seat.

Question: Who is sitting in each position from left to right?

Why it's useful: Logic puzzles benefit from multiple reasoning paths and constraint checking. Experts can focus on different constraints, catch errors, and verify solutions systematically.

Example 2: Multi-Step Mathematical Problem

Prompt

Simulate a collaborative problem-solving session with three experts—Expert A, Expert B, and Expert C—following the rules above. The question: A company's revenue grows by 15% each quarter. If they started Q1 with $200,000 in revenue and their costs are $50,000 per quarter plus 60% of revenue, in which quarter will they first achieve a profit margin of at least 25%?

Why it's useful: Mathematical problems involve multiple steps where errors can compound. Independent expert calculations help catch mistakes and ensure accurate formulas.

Example 3: Strategic Business Analysis

Prompt

Simulate a collaborative problem-solving session with three experts—Expert A, Expert B, and Expert C—following the rules above. The question: A mid-sized software company is considering pivoting from B2B SaaS to B2C mobile apps. They have 18 months of runway, strong technical talent, but limited marketing experience. Current B2B revenue is declining 10% quarterly. Should they pivot, and if so, what should be their first three strategic priorities?

Why it's useful: Strategic decisions benefit from diverse perspectives (financial, technical, market, risk). Experts can represent different viewpoints, identifying blind spots and faulty assumptions.

Key Benefits of This Technique

• Error Detection: Multiple reasoning paths increase the likelihood of catching mistakes.
• Perspective Diversity: Experts approach problems from varied angles.
• Incremental Verification: Step-by-step progression allows continuous validation.
• Self-Correction: Withdrawal mechanism prevents bad reasoning from spreading.
• Transparency: Shows the reasoning journey, not just the final answer.
• Collaborative Intelligence: Combines strengths of different reasoning approaches.

When to Use Tree of Thought Prompting

This technique is ideal for:

• Complex problems where a single reasoning chain might miss key considerations.
• Multi-step calculations or logical deductions.
• Strategic decisions requiring multiple perspectives.
• Problems where verification and error-checking are critical.
• Situations where you want to see the reasoning process, not just the answer.